Delonix

Delonix
Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Caesalpinioideae
Tribe:	Caesalpinieae
Genus:	Delonix Raf.[1]
Type species
Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.) Raf.[2]
Species
See text.
Synonyms
Aprevalia Baill.[1]

Delonix is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae. It contains trees that are native to Madagascar and east Africa. By far the best known species is the Royal Poinciana (D. regia).

The name of the genus is derived from the Greek words δηλος (delos), meaning "evident," and ονυξ (onyx), meaning "claw," referring to the petals.^[3] The common name, Poinciana, comes from a former genus of the same name in which the members of the current genus Delonix were classified along with plants now placed in the genus Caesalpinia.

Selected species

• Delonix baccal (Chiov.) Baker f. (Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia)
• Delonix boiviniana (Baill.) Capuron (Madagascar)
• Delonix brachycarpa (R.Vig.) Capuron (Madagascar)
• Delonix decaryi (R.Vig.) Capuron (Madagascar)
• Delonix elata (L.) Gamble (East Africa, southern Arabia east to western India)
• Delonix floribunda (Baill.) Capuron (Madagascar)
• Delonix pumila Du Puy, Phillipson & R.Rabev. (Madagascar)
• Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.) Raf. – Royal Poinciana (Madagascar)^[4]
• Delonix tomentosa (R.Vig.) Capuron (Madagascar)
• Delonix velutina (R.Vig.) Capuron (Madagascar)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Genus: Delonix Raf.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 1999-03-05. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?3479. Retrieved 2011-04-22. 
2. ^ "Delonix Raf.". TROPICOS. Missouri Botanical Garden. http://tropicos.org/Name/40023189. Retrieved 2009-10-22. 
3. ^ Gledhill, David (2008). The Names of Plants (4 ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 137. ISBN 9780521866453. http://books.google.com/books?id=NJ6PyhVuecwC. 
4. ^ "Subordinate Taxa of Delonix Raf.". TROPICOS. Missouri Botanical Garden. http://tropicos.org/NameSubordinateTaxa.aspx?nameid=40023189. Retrieved 2009-10-22. 

External links

Trees portal

Media related to Delonix at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Delonix at Wikispecies

• ILDIS World Database of Legumes